Array
(
[wp_posts] => Array
(
[ID] => 5949
[post_author] => 27
[post_date] => 2015-02-27 10:00:21
[post_date_gmt] => 2015-02-27 15:00:21
[post_content] => As of the 23rd of January 2015, the Ministry of Health and Environment (MoH) of Dominica declared the chikungunya epidemic officially over on the island. Based on the prerequisites set by the World Health Organization (WHO) which stated that it can be said that the phase has officially ended once two maximum incubation periods have passed and no new cases have been detected, the end of the disease outbreak in the country can be declared over.
"The incubation period for chikungunya ranges from 1 – 12 days…the last clinically diagnosed case of CHIKV in Dominica was on December 28, 2014. Since then 42 days (as of February 9), which is more than twice the maximum incubation period, have passed without a new case of chikungunya being detected in the country," the Ministry of Health said.
In January 2014, the first confirmed reported case of the disease was from an individual who had visited Dominica from St. Martin.
Following a report of 3,764 cases, 173 of which were confirmed by laboratory testing, the disease had a tremendous impact on the Caribbean island. It is said that one hundred and eleven infected person were hospitalized during the epidemic.
"The Ministry of Health and Environment takes this opportunity to thank the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Pan American Health Agency (PAHO), Dr Durland Fish of Yale University, National Pest and Termite, the Ministries of Finance, Tourism and Education, the Adult Education Department, Dominica Air and Sea Port Authority-DASPA, the Dominica Hotel Association, the business communities, the Media ,the staff of the Ministry of Health and the people of Dominica for their cooperation in successfully bringing the situation to an end," the Ministry of Health said.
[post_title] => Chikungunya Epidemic Is Officially Over Says Dominica Ministry of Health
[post_excerpt] =>
[post_status] => publish
[comment_status] => open
[ping_status] => closed
[post_password] =>
[post_name] => chikungunya-epidemic-officially-says-dominica-ministry-health
[to_ping] =>
[pinged] =>
[post_modified] => 2015-02-27 03:50:03
[post_modified_gmt] => 2015-02-27 08:50:03
[post_content_filtered] =>
[post_parent] => 0
[guid] => http://islandmix.com/blog/?p=5949
[menu_order] => 0
[post_type] => post
[post_mime_type] =>
[comment_count] => 0
)
[wp_terms] => Array
(
[name] => Health and Beauty
)
[wp_users] => Array
(
[ID] => 27
[user_login] => switter
[user_pass] => $P$B6sMZbcV9GZZilsC91OzT4NPQRGgIK0
[user_nicename] => switter
[user_email] => switter@islandmix.com
[user_url] =>
[user_registered] => 2014-03-07 22:11:16
[user_activation_key] =>
[user_status] => 0
[display_name] => Sanje Witter
[spam] => 0
[deleted] => 0
)
)

Array
(
[wp_posts] => Array
(
[ID] => 5944
[post_author] => 27
[post_date] => 2015-02-26 10:00:42
[post_date_gmt] => 2015-02-26 15:00:42
[post_content] => On Tuesday night, the Jamaica parliament foundered the amendments of the Dangerous Drugs Act to allow people to have two ounces or less of marijuana in possession a non-arrestable, ticketable offence that attracts no criminal record. The Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill which was piloted by the National Security Minister Peter Bunting, was passed with five amendments in the Senate on the 6th of February.
The renegotiation of international treaties relating to marijuana was brought to the Portia Simpson-Miller-led government by Opposition Spokesman on Justice and Security, Delroy Chuck. He told legislators that Jamaica should promote for marijuana, which is popularly known on the island as "ganja", to be annulled from the list of prohibited substances by the United Nations.
The government shared that they intend to cash-in on the decriminalization of the substance, particularly for it medicinal opportunities, which is a US$2.5 billion market in the United States. As the news of the amendment spread across the world, social media was swift with an outpouring of support.